Shock-absorber



.l. S. LANG.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25,1919- 1*,379, 1 9 1. Patented May 24, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J, S. LANG.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1919.

Patented May 24, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES JAMES S. LANG, 015 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOCK-ABSORBER.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented May 24, 1921.

1 Application filed .Tanuary 25, 1919. Serial No. 273,136.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES S. LANG, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, a citizen of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shock-Absorbers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in explaining its nature The present invention relates to shock absorbers that are especially designed to be used in connection with automobiles or other vehicles. My invention relates more especially to that type of shock absorber which depends for its action upon the frictional engagement or lack of engagement between certain operating parts consisting in the present instance of a blade or blades and friction shoes engaging the blades.

, The essential object of my invention is to so construct a shock absorber of the above character as to insure quickness and flexibility of action, the elimination of noise or rattling and the taking up of wear. The invention pertains also to various constructive details, all of which can best be seen and understood by reference to the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section.

Fig. 4 is a cross section, and

Fig. 5 is a cross section of a detail of construction to which special reference will later be made.

Referring to the drawings 1 represents the friction blade. This is preferably made in two sections 2 and 2. The blade sections have the general form of elongated platesor strips and are made of steel or other suitable material. Each of the blade sections is provided with an attachable end 3. The blade sections are of the same width and are also preferably made tapered, the taper extending from the attachable ends of the sections to their opposite ends.

Engagingthe blade sections are friction shoes 4:, 5 and 6. Of these the shoe 4t engages the outer side of the blade section 2; the shoe 5 lies between the two blade sec tions and engages the inner faces of both, and the shoe 6 engages the outer face or side of the blade section 2. Each of the shoes has a generally rectangular shape with a width substantially equal to that of the blade sections. In the operation of the device 1t is the frictional engagement ofthe shoes with the blade sections that furnishes the retarding influence. The shoes are so nested together that during the operation of the device, as will later be more fully explained, the shoes are movable together in a longitudinal or endwise direction, the shoes moving as a unit. The nesting of the shoes is also such as will permit them to have a motion of translation laterally with relation to the faces of the blades by which the intensity of their pressure against the blades may be increased or diminished and to compensate also for. the varying thickness of the blade sections. The association or nesting together of the shoes is effected as follows: The shoe 4: on either sideis wldened along the central part of the shoe by lateral projections or flanges 8 and 9, re spectively. Extending at right angles from each of these flanges and from about the central portions thereof are flanges which extend by the side edges of the blade sections and also of the shoes 5 and 6. Of.

these flanges last referred to 10 represents the flange extending from the flange 8, and 11 the flange extending from the flange 9. Each of the shoes 5 and 6 are provided upon either side with a set of spaced lateral projections or flanges which lie on opposite sides of the respective flanges 10 and 11 and engage theopposite side edges thereof as will later be explained; Of these setv of flanges lastreferred to on the shoes 5 and r 6, 12, 12 represent those lying on opposite sides of the flange 10, and 13, 13 those lying onopposite sides of the flange l1.

The blade sections together with the friction shoes are borneby a carrier in thenature' of a housing. which forms the otherattachable member and which together with its associated parts assists in the retention of the blade sectionsfand shoes and enables them to properly function in the operation of the device. 15 represents this housing having a back 16, spaced sides 17and18, respectively, and spaced ends 20, thesefparts collectively forming the housing, the body of which lies adjacent the outer face of the blade sectionfZ. Upon one end of the lionsing, in a direction away from the attachable ends of the blade sections, is an attachable end. 21. The width of the housing is greater than that of the blade sections and provided with a spaced set of flanges-24:1

and 25, respectively, which overlap the side edges of the blade sections and shoes. The

set of flanges 24 and -are separated from one another so far that the space between them extending in a direction longitudinally of the blade sections and shoes will be longer than the longitudinal extent of the flanges onthe respective shoes, thus permitting of the shoes moving longitudinally as a unit relatively to the housing. During such relative movement the shoes will ride upon bearings later to be referred to, while the flanges 24 and 25 will act as stops limiting the endwise movement of the shoes with relation to the housing. This is effected by the engagement of the flanges on the shoes with the inner edges 26'of the respective flanges 24 and 25 ofthe housing. A similar disposition of the parts prevails on the opposite side of the housing, the side 18 being provided with an edge 27 over which extends the flange 9 projecting from the side of the shoe 41. The side 18 has, also, a spaced set of flanges 28 and 29 which extend by the sides of the respective shoes and blade sections and with the inner edges 30 of which spaced flanges the flanges upon the shoes are adapted to have engagement for limiting the endwise or longitudinal movement of the shoes. The endwise or longitudinal movement of the shoes with relation to the housing is alsolimited'and defined by the engagement of the opposite ends of the'shoe 4 with the ends 20 of the housing,

which formstops forlimiting the movement of the shoes during their unitary movement with relation to the housing and in which action they simply supplementthe respective sets of flanges 2 1 and 28 and 25 and 29 on the opposite sides of the housing.

During the operation of the device, as is customary in devices of this kind where friction blades are employed movable against or between friction shoes, the shoes are maintained to have varying'degrees of pressure against the blades, by which the action of the shoes may be impeded to effeet the retarding influence, or the shoes be "released to move more freely. The shoes are also movable as a unit with relation to the housing as above explained. Such I movement of friction blades and shoes with relation to one another and with relation also to the housing is ordinarily attended with more or less rattling of th'e'parts owing to looseness between the operating parts to insure proper freedom of operation, and no particular attention is paid to takingup wear. The construction to which attention will now be directed is essentially for the and 4).

purpose of preventing such rattling and to compensate for or take up wear particularly upon the operating parts.

To attain these ends I have made use of that principle of operation resulting from the use of two superimposed members having contacting surfaces inclined with relation to a line of force acting to compress the members. When force is applied to compress the members the resultis that a componentof the compressing force is developed which tends to laterally spread the members in relation to one another, the direction in which one, or the other member moves depending upon the directlon of inclination of their contacting surfaces.

to spread the members laterally in reverse directions. I 1

The inclination of the contacting surfaces 31, 32 between the membersis such that as they are spread by the compressing force the shoe 6 will be moved in the direcedges 12 and 13'. respectively, which when the shoe 0 is moved laterally'by the compression will have drawing engagement with the'inclinededges '10 and 11, respectively, of the flanges 10 and 11, the engagement between the shoe6 and theside edges of these flanges being' such that the engagement wil be maintained even as wear occurs. I

By thecompression-of the members the blade section 2' will be moved in a reverse direction to that of the shoe 6 to have'eu gagement with the flanges 24 and 25, respectively, of the housing '(see Figs. 2

By the compression the shoe 5v will be moved into engagement, with theside edges ofthe flanges 10 and 11 in precisely the same manner as the shoe 6, 'both the' shoes 5 and 6 being, in so far'as the present action is concerned, precisely alike.

The blade section 2 will be maintained by the pressure in a neutral position'between the shoes 4 and 5. This is because the inclination of the contacting surfaces be tween the blade section 2 and the shoes 4 and 5 are such that the resulting components of force will neutralize one another and accordingly have no effect to displace the blade section, which is held against lateralplay by the two shoes (see Fig. 4).

The shoe 4 will tend to be moved by the pressure in the general direction of the flanges 24 and 25 of the housing. The shoe 4 will, however, be held in engagement with the flanges 28 and 29 of the housing for, while a component of force will. tend to throw the shoe 4 in the direction of the flanges 24 and 25 of the housing, yet the components of force acting upon the shoes 5' and 6 and exerting a stronger influence, will throw the shoe into engagement with the flanges 28 and 29 of the housing. Thus it will be seen that all of the shoes and blade sections are so maintained as topre vent rattling between them and the adjacent parts and the maintenance is such that all looseness or slackness which would occasion rattling will be eliminated even when wear occurs. V I

It might very well be that-following the principle above indicated the inclination of the contacting surfaces 31 and 32 between 'the members might be arranged otherwise than as shown, but in practice I have found that the arrangement above indicated proves very satisfactory.

ressure is applied to constrict the unit constituting the friction shoes and blade sections as follows: Passedaround the back of the housing and socketed to turn thereon is a U-bolt or strap 35 having arms 36. The arms 36 extend by the sides of the housing beyond the outer one 6 of the friction shoes and through the split ends, respectively, of a saddle 37 This saddle is rounded on the inner side to fit and turn upon a boss 38 projecting from the outer side of the shoe 6. The saddle 37 is provided on its outer side with a pair of spaced projecting studs 39, centrally disposed, and which act to retain a pair of semi-elliptical leaf springs 40 through which the arms 36 of the bolt extend. Outside the springs 40 is arranged a plate 41 forming a keeper through which the ends of the bolt arms also extend and are secured by nuts 42 arranged upon them and bearing against the keeper.

The disposition of the parts is such that when the friction shoes are moved upon the housing to contact with the flanges 25, 29, which is their released position as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, then the arms 36 of the U-bolt or strap will extend by the friction shoes and blade sections at substantially right angles to them, any desired pressure being then applied for constricting the unit constituting the blade sections and friction shoes, by the tightening. of the nuts 42 on the ends of the arms, which compresses the springs40. In practice very little pressure will then be exerted by the bolt and springs.

When during the operation of the device the friction shoes are moved toward the flanges 24, 28 on the housing, to what may be termed their engaging position, then the U-bolt'will be made to pivot or turn on the back of the housing and the arms be moved to occupyan angular position with relation to a line normal to the blade sections and friction shoes more acute than that shown,.thereby tending to constrict the unit constituting the blades and shoes.

As the friction shoes are moved back ward and forward upon the housing to assume their released and engaging positions, friction is eliminated by means of roller bearings 45 on which the shoes run, these bearings taking up the friction which would otherwise come between the flanges 8 and 9 of the shoe 4 and the edges 23 and 27, respectively, of the housing. The roller bearings 45 are located between the rear sideor wall of the housing and the friction shoe 4, the shoe being entirely supported by'these bearings which turn on or relatively to the shoe and back of the housing; The roller bearings are retained within sockets 46 formed partly upon the inner side of the shoe 4 and partly upon the housing (see Fig. These sockets simply allow the roller bearings to turn without displace-v ment.

' The friction shoes are normally maintained in their engaging position by a coiled spring 48 of considerable tension. This spring is located within the housing and is compressed between studs 49 and 50, respectively, one projecting from the back of the housing and the other from the back of the shoe 4. When the shoes are moved into their released position as shown in the drawings the spring 48 will be compressed. Otherwise the spring will act normally to maintain the shoes in their engaging position.

In the application of the device I prefer that the blade sections be secured by their at tachable ends to the spring which connects with the body of the vehicleor to the body of the vehicle directly by any suitable fastening (not shown) and that the attachable end of; the housing be secured either to the spring which connects with the axle of the vehicle or to the axle directly by any suitable fastening (not shown).

The operation is as follows: The normal position of the operating parts of the device corresponds with the normal position of the vehicle spring. The blade'sections are in awithdrawn position. The frictionshoes are in an engaging position through action of the spring 458, and accordingly the U-bolt will be turned to where it will exert more or less pressureupon the shoes. The friction shoes will, however, have at this time no great friction grip upon the blade sections, which are movable freely between them owing to the fact that the shoes are in engagement with the thinner portions of the blades.

Assuming now that the operation of "the vehicle to which the device is attached has tended to compress the vehicle spring. Thereupon the friction blade or blade sec tions will move downwardly through the nest of friction shoes. As this action continues the grip of, the shoes upon the blade sections will increase owing to the1increasing thickness of the sections. A point will at length be reached where the resistance occasionedby the friction grip of the shoes against the blades will overcome the tension of the spring 18. In other words, the

blade sections will move downwardly to a thickening of'the blades, but not enough to prevent a free and easy compression of the vehicle spring. 1 I

Assuming now that the vehicle spring has become fully compressed and the tendency is for the spring to rebound with the usual backlash: As this rebound takes place the blades will be suddenly drawn upward carrying the friction shoes with them, owing to the fact that such movement tends to throw the shoes into an engaging position and especially owing to the action of the spring 48 which is now free'to act. As the shoes are moved into their engaging posi-. tion' the arms of the U-bolt will be moved into their more acute angular position as above explained. In assuming such position the U-bolt willturnon the back of the housing and the saddle will turn also upon its supporting boss on the shoe 6, the parts be ing thus adaptable for enabling the U-bolt to change its position. The resulting effect is that at the moment of the backlash the shoes will be forced: with a very high 'degreeg will engage one side of the flanges 10 and 11 on the shoe 4: and, asthe U-bolt is thrown of pressure against the blades and moreover against the thicker portions of the blades which are then" engagingthe shoes; Thus the shoes acting as a brake by their frictional .engagement with the blades will prevent an easy withdrawal of the blades and eliminate the backlash. The action is in the nature of a snubbing action, which takes place at the moment of the backlash and prevents the disruptive rebound which would otherwise take place, but does not prevent a gradual retraction of the vehicle spring.

7 As the retraction of the vehicle spring continues the friction blades will be drawn out of the nest of shoes. The pressure of the shoes against the blades will gradually become less and less as those portions of the blades which engage the shoes become less and less in thickness, the action corresponding relatively with the'reactive force of the timewhen in the operation the withdrawal= of the blade tends to move the -U-shaped strap into a more acute angular position as above explained, the force of the spring will be sufficient to effect suchgrip between the shoes and the blade as to insure the movement of the strap into its more acute angular position even though the strap may be out-i side that which is termed the critical angle in relation to the blade.

. During the operation of the device the various acting parts will be practically.

noiseless. All rattling between the friction blades, shoes and the housing-is absolutely eliminated and wear taken up as previously explained.

A further adaptability of the device in point of operation pertains to the contact between the flanges on the shoes 5 and 6 and the flanges 10 and 11, respectively, 'on the, shoe 4. As previously explained, the shoes are movablelongitudinally as a unit in relation to the carrier. They are moved by the blades through the action of the U- bolt or strap as itis thrown backward and forward to and from its engaging and released positions. In other words, the U- bolt will act to move the shoe 6 with an endwise movement relatively to the carrier and [the other shoes will move simultaneously i' gwith the shoe 6 by reason of the connecting flanges as previously explained. During uch operation as the U-bolt is thrown into- .-a released position the flanges 12, 12 and 13, 13, respectively, on the shoes 5 and 6 into its engaging position, the same flanges 12, 12 and 13, 13 will engage the other sides of the flanges 10 and 11. Not only will the flanges 12, 12 and 13, 13 bear against the flanges 10 and 11 for moving. all the shoes, but the shoes 5 and 6 will have a slight movementof translation along the ed es of i the flanges 10 and 11 depending upon whether the shoes are compressed or allowed to relax.

For the purpose of lessening the frictional engagement betweenthe flanges 12, 12 and 18, 13 and theflanges 10 and 11 and for the purpose, a-lso, of facilitating the movement of translation of the shoes, it will be ob served by reference to Fig. 1 that the side edges 10, 10 and 11, 11 of the respective flanges 10 and 11 on the shoe 1 are arranged in parallel alinement with one another and inclined with relation to a plane normalto .the blades and shoes, the inclination being in the general direction taken by the blades during their inward movement. By reason of such inclination not only will friction between the flanges 12, 12 and 13, 18 on the shoes 5 and 6 and the flanges 10 and 11 on the shoe 4: be reduced, but as the blades move inwardly through the nest of shoes to a released position, the engagement between the flanges will be such as Wlll tend to automatically release the shoes 5 and 6, while as and the blades are moved outwardly through the nest of shoes to an engaging position, the engagement between the flanges will be such as will tend automatically to constrictthe shoes 5 and 6, their movement of translation in any event being facilitated.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. In a shock absorber, the combination comprising a friction blade, a friction. shoe engaging said blade, said blade and shoe )resentim contactin r surfaces inclined with c relation to a line of force acting to compress them whereby the blademay have lateral displacement upon the application of such force, a part with which the blade is moved into engagement when displaced laterally as aforesaid, and means for applying pressure to compress said blade and shoe.

2, In a shock absorber, the combination comprising a friction blade, a friction shoe engaging said blade, said blade and shoe presenting contacting surfaces inclined with relation to a line of force acting to compress them whereby the shoe is displaced laterally upon the application of such force, a part with which the shoe has engagement when displaced laterally as aforesaid, and means for applying pressure to compress said blade shoe.

3. In a shock absorber, the combination comprising a friction blade, a friction shoe engaging said blade, said blade and shoe presenting contacting surfaces inclined with relation to a line of force acting to compress them whereby said blade and shoe are displaced laterally in reverse directions upon the application of such force, parts with which the blade and shoe have engagement when displaced laterally as aforesaid, and

means for applying pressure for compressextending by the side edges of the blade, said blade and shoe presenting contacting 1 surh faces inclined with relation to a line of force acting to compress them whereby the blade may have lateral displacement upon the application of such force and bemoved into engagement with said flanges, and means for applying pressure tocompress said blade and shoe.

5. In a shock absorber, the combination comprising a friction blade, a friction shoe, a carrier for the blade and shoe with flanges extending by the side edges of the shoe, said blade and shoe presenting contacting surfaces inclined with relation to a line of force acting to compress them whereby the shoe may have lateral displacement upon the application of such force and be moved into engagement with said flanges, and means for applying pressure to-said blade and shoe.

'6. In a shock absorber, the combination comprising a friction blade, friction shoes of, said blade and shoes presenting contact-.

ing surfaces inclined with relation to a line of force acting to compress them whereby the blade and shoes are displaced laterally" in reverse directions upon the application of V such force, parts with which the blade and shoes have engagement when displaced laterally as aforesaid, and means for applying pressure for compressing said blade and shoes.

7. In a shock absorber, the combination 1 comprising a nest of friction blades and shoes, a carrier therefor provided with flanges on either side thereof extending by the side edges of the blades and shoes, the said blades and shoes presenting contacting sur-- faces inclined with relation to a line of forceacting to compress them whereby certain of the blades are moved laterally to contact with the flanges on one side of said carrier and certain of the shoes moved laterally to contact with the flanges on the opposite side of said carrier, and means for applying pressure for compressing said blades and shoes.

8. In a shock absorber, the combination comprising a nest of friction blades and shoes, a carrier therefor provided with spaced flanges on either side thereof extending by the side edges of the blades and theflange extending from the said one of said shoes and other of sald compressed partsabein'g thrown laterally into engage ranged upon either side of the flange extending from the saidone of the shoes, said blades and shoes constltuting' compressed parts presenting contacting surfaces inclined with relation to a line of force acting to compress them whereby upon the compression thereof'certain of the compressed parts are moved laterally into engagement with mentwith the flanges on said carrier, and

means for. applying pressure to compress e tending by the side edges of the blade and said blades and shoes.

9. ln ashock absorber, the combination comprising a nest" of friction blades and shoes, a carrier therefor provided with spaced flanges on either side thereof extending .by the side edges of the bladesfand shoes, one of said :shoes having flanges on 5 either side thereof extending by the side edges of the blades and other shoes and provided withinclined edges, each of said other shoes being provided with flanges having inclined edges arranged upon either side of the flanges extending from the said one of said shoes, said bladesand shoes presenting contacting surfaces inclined with relation to a line of force acting to compress them wherebyupon the compression thereof the ,flanges upon the said other of said shoes are moved laterally into engagement with the flanges extending from the said one of the shoes and saidione of the shoes thereby moved into engagement with the flanges on ,saidfcarrier, and means for applyingpressure to c'ompress said blades and shoes.

10,111 a-shock absorber, the combination comprising a nest of friction blades and shoes,l a carrier ther'eforprovided with spaced flanges on either side thereof extending by the side edges of the blades and shoes, said p blades and shoes constituting compressed parts and presenting; contacting surfaces inclined with relation to a line of force acting to compress them whereby upon the compression thereof one of said blades is moved laterally into engagement with the flanges on saidcarrier and another of said blades held against lateral displacement by certain ones of said friction shoes, and

means for applying pressure to compress said blades and shoes.

11. In a shock absorber, the combination comprising a friction blade, a friction shoe l engaging said blade, sald blade and shoe presenting a series of contacting surfaces each inclined with relation to a line of force 12. In a shock absorber, theicombination comprising a friction blade, friction shoes embracing said blade on opposite sides thereof, a carrier for the blade and shoes with relation to which said shoes have a limited endwise movement, one of said shoes having flanges on opposite sides thereof exother shoe, each of saidflanges presenting parallel'edges inclined with relation to a plane normal to the blade and shoes, the other one of the shoes having spaced flanges arrangedto engage the inclined side edges of the flanges extending from the one shoe whereby the shoes may be movable together 1n an endwisedirectlon or have movement of translation with relation to one another and to said blade, and means for applying 7 movement, means whereby force may be appliedto press said shoes against said-blade upon and during the outward movement of i said blade and release said shoes upon and during the inward movement of the blade, one of said shoes having flanges on opposite sides thereof extending by the side edges of the blade and other shoe, each of saidflanges' presenting parallel edges inclined with rela tion to a plane normal toth'eblade and shoes, such inclination being in the general direction taken by said blade during the inward movement thereof, the'other one of said blades'having spaced flanges arranged to engage the inclined-side edges of the 'flanges extending from the one shoe, sub-V stantially as and'for the purposes set forth.

' JAMES s LANG. 

